At present there are a wide variety of automatic vehicle washing systems in use. These normally include a variety of stations at which different washing operations occur: for example, a system may include a soaking station where soap is sprayed onto the vehicle, a cleaning station where brushes or a cloth curtain removes dirt from the vehicle, a rinsing station and a drying station. In certain systems a number of these stations may be provided on a single support frame which moves relative to a stationary vehicle. Such systems are known as roll over or portal washes and are generally best suited to lower volume operations. In higher volume washes the various stations are normally mounted at spaced intervals along a vehicle track. A vehicle conveyor runs along the track and is used to pull vehicles past the various stations. Such systems are known as washing lines.
The majority of automatic vehicle washing systems in use at present are of the friction type, where the removal of dirt from the vehicle is achieved by use of water and rotating brushes formed of bristle or strips of cloth, or alternatively by use of moving curtains formed of strips of cloth. Such systems are generally considered effective in removing dirt from vehicles, though there are some problems associated with such systems: loose trim, roof racks and antenna can become entangled with and damaged by the bristle or cloth; if insufficient water is supplied to the brushes or curtain, dirt may be retained on the brushes and cause damage to the finish of following vehicles; and maintenance of the brush mountings and motors can be time consuming and expensive.
More recently, vehicle wash operators have been adopting frictionless systems which go some way to avoiding the above mentioned disadvantages. In a frictionless system, the vehicle first passes through a soaking arch which sprays a dirt loosening solution onto the vehicle. The soaking arch and the next station are spaced apart sufficiently to allow the solution a predetermined soak time, before the vehicle passes through stations equipped with high pressure nozzles which direct sprays of water at the vehicle surfaces to remove the dirt which has been loosened by the solution applied at the soaking arch. The vehicle then continues past conventional rinsing drying stations.
Frictionless systems of many forms have been proposed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,257 (Kobayashi), U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,504 (Flaxman) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,720 (Hearty) disclose vehicle washing apparatus in which a vehicle remains stationary while cleaning nozzles move over the vehicle.
The Kobayashi U.S. Pat No. 4,711,257 discloses apparatus having box-shaped outer and inner hoods which are movable along rails to cover the vehicle to be washed. Mounted on rails within the covers are a plurality of inverted U-shaped pipe assemblies provided with spray nozzles through which washing liquid is sprayed as the pipes are moved along the vehicle.
The Flaxman U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,504 discloses washing apparatus in which a support frame suspends a rectangular frame having spray nozzles mounted thereon. The rectangular frame may be raised and lowered relative to the support frame, in the lower position the frame encircling a vehicle for spraying the same with water and cleaning fluid.
The Heraty U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,720 discloses apparatus in which two L-shaped rails are mounted above a vehicle washing area, vertical pipes provided with nozzles being movably mounted on the rails, each rail for washing an end and a side of the vehicle. One of the L-shaped rails is movable relative to the other such that the rectangular area defined by the rails can be altered to accomodate vehicles of different sizes.
As discussed above, and as evidenced by the disclosures of the above mentioned patents, such systems are not well adapted for use in high volume operations. It is not surprising therefore that the majority of activity in this field has been directed toward the development of frictionless systems for use in washing lines.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,779 to Jones et al discloses a relatively simple apparatus having a pair of U-shaped frames on which spray nozzles are mounted. The frames are spaced from one another along a vehicle track, and a timer control valve operates the nozzles at timed, predetermined intervals, thereby allowing liquid to flow from the nozzles and wash the vehicle passing through the framework.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,391 to Scheller also discloses a relatively simple apparatus in which a plurality of arch-like frames are spaced apart along a washing line. Each frame is formed of pipes provided with a plurality of nozzles, each nozzle having two outlets perpendicular to one another. In the disclosed embodiment three spaced arches are provided for applying sequentially to the vehicle an acidic detergent, an alkaline detergent and a rinse, as the vehicle moves through the arches. The pump apparatus associated with each arch is actuated by means of an electric eye which senses the front of the vehicle as it approaches each of the arches.
In each of the above mentioned patents, the nozzles are generally fixed at an angle perpendicular to the direction of relative motion between the washing apparatus and the vehicle and the main surfaces of the vehicle, apart from the Scheller patent in which the nozzle outlets are fixed at a 45.degree. angle. It appears that in certain circumstances it is preferable to vary the angle of the nozzle to the car surface, and this may be achieved by providing oscillating nozzles. A number of patents disclose different approaches to providing such nozzles, including U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,726 (Unger), U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,578 (Miller), U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,916 (Hodge) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,993 (Beer et al).
The Unger U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,726 is not directed to automatic vehicle washing apparatus but is intended for domestic use for spray washing salt and the like from the underside of a motor vehicle. To this end the apparatus includes a hollow handle for connection to a garden hose at a first end and to upward directed spray nozzles at a second end. The spray nozzles are wheel mounted and may be steered to spray in a desired direction by twisting the handle in the direction desired.
The Miller U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,578 disclosed apparatus of various configurations provided with nozzles mounted on oscillatory header rods. The supporting frame is provided with pivoting, sliding bushings for mounting the headers to reciprocating actuators which oscillate the headers. The nozzles are formed of a short tube of resilient material with weighted ends such then when the header is oscillated, the cleaning nozzles oscillate and synchronously sweep out a controlled spray pattern.
In the Hodge U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,916 an array of nozzles are mounted on a support frame and connected to suitable drive means for oscillating the nozzles back and forth in a plane transverse to the length of the array.
In the Beer et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,993 a reciprocating motion is imparted to a number of nozzles mounted on spaced parallel arms linked by a straight line linkage which is parallel to and of equal length with the straight line between the pivot axis for the sets of nozzles. A motor imparts rotary movements to a crank, a line coupled to the crank causing the elongate member mounting one of the sets of nozzles, and the elongate member mounting the other set of nozzles to pivot about the respective axis and thus reciprocate the nozzles.
One of the disadvantage associated with frictionless wash systems such as those described above is the associated increase in water consumption, when compared with friction type systems. This leads to increased running costs as the purchasing, treating and heating of water represents a considerable proportion of the costs associated with a vehicle wash operation. In the systems described above, the nozzles, for the most part, remain at the same proximity to the vehicle washing path for each washing operation. This may be satisfactory for box-shaped vehicles, such as some vans, but is not as effective for, for example, narrower vehicles or cars in which the hood, and normally also the trunk, are considerably lower than the roof of the passenger compartment. To provide effective washing of a range of vehicles, apparatus of this fixed proximity type must therefore supply large volumes of cleaning water under relatively high pressures to ensure that the sprays from the nozzles impinge upon the major surface areas of most vehicles with sufficient force to dislodge dirt. This problem has been appreciated by a number of manufacturers who have proposed apparatus in which various means are provided to permit the nozzles to follow the contours of individual car shapes more closely. Apparatus of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,848 (Messing et al), U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,209 (Fast), U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,439 (Gorra et al), U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,932 (Burton), U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,388, (Swinehart et al), U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,938 (Petit), U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,217 (Hanna) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,721 (Messing et al).
The Messing et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,848 discloses two forms of apparatus, one for cleaning the front, top and rear surfaces of a vehicle, and the other for washing the sides of the vehicle. The front, top and rear washing apparatus comprises an inverted U-shaped frame extending over a car conveyor and pivotally mounted near the ground. A cross member is suspended in the frame and supports a pipe provided with nozzles for directing cleaning fluid towards the vehicle. At the beginning of a washing operation the frame is in a starting position, swung away from the incoming car. The cross member carrying the nozzle pipe is located towards the base of the frame and the nozzles are directed towards the oncoming car. The presence of the car is detected by photocells which activate a fluid supply and a nozzle oscillating piston which provides transverse oscillation of the nozzles. As the car moves through the frame, its position continually monitored by the photocells, the cross member is moved upwardly n the frame while the cleaning fluid acts on the front of the car. The nozzles thus move over the contours of the car without touching the car surface. When the cross member and the nozzle pipe reach approximately the height of the windshield of the car, the frame begins to swing, pushed by a further piston, in the direction opposite the direction of the travel of the car through the frame. At the same time the nozzle pipe, driven by a still further piston, swings in the direction towards the surface of the car. When the frame is in an end position, swung past the vertical, opposite the direction of travel of the car, the cross member slides downwardly. Due to the inclined position of the frame and the correspondingly swung nozzle pipe, the nozzles follow the car as it moves away. When the cross member has reached its lowermost position, the frame swings into its starting position and nozzle pipe is directed toward the next arriving car.
In the side washing apparatus, nozzle pipes are provided and are swingable towards the car. The pipes oscillate in a vertical direction and the movement of these nozzle pipes towards the car is effected by swing arms and a piston. The spacing between the nozzle pipes and the car is achieved through use of sensing contact rollers.
The Fast U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,209 discloses an inverted U-shaped frame which pivotally supports a washer boom with a tilt game pivotally mounted thereon. Mounted on the tilt frame are a pair of wheels each having soft treads, and transversely disposed manifolds having a plurality of nozzles mounted on the center of the tilt frame between the wheels. As a vehicle moves through the wash, the wheels roll over the vehicle, the tilt frame and also the nozzles rotating such that the nozzles remain close to the vehicle and substantially perpendicular to the vehicle surface throughout the washing operation. Similar apparatus is also provided for cleaning the vehicle sides.
The Gorra et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,439 discloses a system including an overhead, pivotally mounted boom having a cross pipe provided with nozzles. Sensors are provided to lift the boom and cross pipe as a vehicle passes the station, and a timer operates to rotate the nozzle pipe from the initial position to a second position at the estimated midpoint of the vehicle.
The Burton U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,932 discloses a cantilever type boom provided with fluid dispensing nozzles and which is vertically movable on a column mounted to the side of a vehicle track. A plurality of photoelectric sensors are provided such that the boom follows the contours of a car passing under the boom. Three sets of nozzles are provided, one set for directing fluid directly towards a vehicle passing beneath the boom, a further set for directing washing fluid downwardly onto the upper surfaces of a vehicle, and a final set for directing washing fluid towards the rearwardly facing surfaces of the vehicle, the nozzles being operated sequentially as a vehicle reaches predetermined positions on the conveyor.
The Swinehart et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,388 discloses an inverted U-shaped spray bar support frame and a spray bar for mounting nozzles, the spray bar being vertically movably mounted in the frame. A sensing station is provided and detects the shape of a vehicle approaching the spray bar which is lifted in the frame by means of drive cables and a drawing chain in accordance with the readings obtained from the sensors and the vehicle conveyor speed. The spacing of the sensors is set and the locations of the spray bar predetermined to accomodate various forms of vehicle and to ensure that the nozzles are always maintained within a predetermined distance (12") from the vehicle surface. The sensors further control rotation of the spray bar to coincide with a vehicle shape predicted by the timing of the sensor's detection of the vehicle.
In the Petit U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,938, an inverted U-shaped frame supports a pivotally mounted boom including a rotatably mounted spray bar provided with a plurality of nozzles. Mounted on the spray bar is a sensor arrangement which follows the vehicle surface and activates actuators to lift the spray bar to allow the vehicle to pass beneath and also tilts the spray bar such that the nozzles are directed substantially perpendicularly to the vehicle surface. In one disclosed example, four sensors are provided and the spray bar is moved until two sensors are below the line of the vehicle and two are above.
The Hanna U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,217 discloses apparatus for washing the front, top and rear of a vehicle. A mounting arrangement is provided to support a cross member, the mounting being such that the orientation of the member remains constant as it is lifted to clear a vehicle passing under the apparatus. Nozzle manifolds extend through the hollow interior of the cross member and supply two sets of nozzles with washing fluids. One set of nozzles is directed towards the vehicles approaching the apparatus while the other set are inclined in the direction of motion of the vehicles. Sensors are mounted on the ends of the cross member and activate actuators to lift the cross member. The sensors also control the fluid supply to the sets of nozzle, activating one or both sets of nozzles depending on the position of the cross member relative to a vehicle.
The Messing et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,721 is primarily concerned with apparatus specially adapted for cleaning the side view mirror of a vehicle, but includes a vertically disposed spray nozzle tube which is mounted to permit sideways movement relative to the side of a vehicle. Positioning of a spray nozzle tube is controlled by means of sensors extending beyond the tube to detect the sides of a vehicle and to activate actuators to move the nozzle tube and maintain a substantially constant spacing between the nozzles and the vehicle side.
A related disclosure is also contained in U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,392 to Larson et al which relates to a dryer for automatic car wash equipment. The dryer includes a proximity sensing system for maintaining a forced air striping nozzle within a predetermined range of the surface of a vehicle. The sensing system includes a pair of associated triple beam photoelectric switches, each of the triple beams being adjusted to focus at a different focal point at a different distance from the nozzle. Electronic circuitry responds to signals developed by the sensing system to control actuators to maintain the nozzle within a relatively narrow range from the vehicle surface, the range being determined by the difference between the focal points of the triple beams of the two associated photoelectric switches. Stripping nozzles are provided for the top of the vehicle and also the side of the vehicle, the nozzles being mounted to a support frame through parallel link assemblies such that the orientation of the nozzles remains substantially constant throughout the range of movement.